“Democratic Reform”—a faction within the Democratic Party or a new party page 3

— The last serviceman is released TIRANA/ Yesterday, the last of the group of thirteen servicemen in the “Sazani” case was released from the courtroom. He is Gjon Hodaj, a former captain in the communications unit on Sazan, sentenced in March ’93 together with twelve others for the criminal offenses of permanent desertion from service and illegal border crossing. Hodaj was precisely the one who had received the longest sentence of the group: 4 years. He was the central figure in the story. The incident dates back to July ’92, when thirteen servicemen from the Sazan units left aboard a military transport vessel bound for Italy, to Bari, and were subsequently returned by the Italian authorities. The other 12 in this case, sentenced to less time than Hodaj, had been released from prison earlier. As for Hodaj, the authorities at the capital’s prison where he was serving his sentence had submitted a request to the Tirana Military Court for his conditional early release, since, according to them, the prisoner had behaved well and had by then served more than two-thirds of his sentence. The panel of judges, presided over by Mr. Ridvan Shkëmbi, granted the request and released him from the courtroom. A.PEZA

11 April: 10 years since the death of Enver Hoxha Yesterday, 10 April, in the morning... At the Kombinat terminus, elderly people carrying shopping bags can be seen. They make their way toward the city cemetery. Pretending it is by chance, they stop near a grave. It is Enver Hoxha’s second grave. Of course, the era of wreaths for that grave has now passed, but flowers are still there. Candles are lit, too. Candles for the soul of the man who never believed in a soul. page 2

Photograph: people pulling a vehicle out of the rubble.

The Albanian President proposes that Athens encourage dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina Berisha seeks a Greek visa to enter Kosovo Athens views the Albanian President’s request positively page 4

Today: warning strike by the BSP of education and healthcare page 5 The first fashion house in Albania is inaugurated page 7 Football Is Tirana’s defeat really inevitable? page 14 Boxing Our sports delegation triumphs in Italy page 2 Turkish Minister of Defense in Albania Military agreement signed page 4